Joint Studies A New Way to Earn a Diploma

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Joint Studies A New Way to Earn a Diploma

Third Croatian Seminar on BP Dubrovnik, Juny 30
to July 2, 2005
Melita Kovacevic
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Third Croatian Seminar on BP
JOINT CURRICULA AND JOINT DEGREES
In order to further strengthen the important
European dimensions of higher education and
graduate employability, Ministers called upon the
higher education sector to increase the
development of modules, courses and curricula at
all levels with European content, orientation
or organisation. This concerns particularly
modules, courses and degree curricula offered in
partnership by institutions from different
countries and leading to a recognized joint
degree. (Prague Communiqué, 2001)
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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Third Croatian Seminar on BP
JOINT CURRICULA vs. JOINT DEGREES
In order to further strengthen the important
European dimensions of higher education and
graduate employability, Ministers called upon the
higher education sector to increase the
development of modules, courses and curricula at
all levels with European content, orientation
or organisation. This concerns particularly
modules, courses and degree curricula offered in
partnership by institutions from different
countries and leading to a recognized joint
degree. (Prague Communiqué, 2001)
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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Third Croatian Seminar on BP
JOINT DEGREES definition after study programmes
that correspond to all or at least some of the
following

• the programs are developed and/or approved by
  several institutions
• students from each institution study part of
  the program at other
• participating institution
• the students stay at the participating
  institutions are comparable length
• periods of study and passed exams are
  recognised fully and
• automatically
• professors of each participating institution
  also teach at the other
• institutions and work on curriculum jointly
• after completing the program, the student
  either obtains the national degree or a
  degree awarded jointly

Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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Third Croatian Seminar on BP
joint curricula / joint degrees ? manifold
recognition of degrees and qualification
cooperation in QA
transparency and convergence of EHE systems
international employability
staff and student mobility
enhanced attractiveness
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
EUAs Interest in Joint Programmes

• To learn about European dimension in action
• Reflect on stand-alone degrees
• To help improve inter-university cooperation
  since Joint programmes require
• transparency and agreement on degree structures
• student and professor mobility
• joint curriculum development
• proper use of ECTS
• language policy

Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
The Stockholm Seminar (May, 2002)

• Conclusions
• agreed that joint degrees are important
  instruments for implementing the objectives of
  the Bologna Process, promoting mobility of
  students and teachers, employability, quality,
  the European dimension and the attractiveness of
  the EHEA
• quality assurance is necessary to guarantee
  international acceptance
• mutual trust and co-operation between national
  QA systems would be essential to avoid problems
  with recognition of joint degrees

Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
The Stockholm Seminar

• Common denominators for European joint degrees
  were proposed, among them the following
• two or more participating institutions in two or
  more countries
• a joint study programme confirmed in a written
  agreement between the institutions
• the requirement of student and staff mobility
• linguistic diversity
• a European dimension

Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
Stockholm Seminar Follow up Andrejs
Rauhvargers EUA Survey on Master Degrees and
Joint Degrees in Europe (September 2002)

• Analysis supported the Stockholm conclusions
• Efforts to establish joint degrees are relevant
  to most objectives of the Bologna Process
• Effect of a joint programme may be greater than
  the sum of its parts when each partner covers the
  part where it is the most competent
• Joint degrees exist in most fields of study
• Joint degrees are more common on the second
  degree level than on the lower level

Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
10
MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
Stockholm Seminar Follow up Andrejs
Rauhvargers EUA Survey on Master Degrees and
Joint Degrees in Europe (September 2002)

• Obstacles
• National legislation do not hinder joint
  programmes, but that legislation in many
  countries makes it difficult or impossible to
  award a joint degree
• Recognition of joint degrees often is more
  complicated than recognition of national degrees

Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
(October 2002)

• The Steering Committee for Higher Education and
  Research of the Council of Europe adopted a set
  of recommendations.
• Lisbon Recognition Convention Committee
  encouraged to consider adopting a subsidiary text
  to the Convention on the Recognition of Joint
  Degrees, and governments

? governments asked to review national
legislation to remove obstacles
Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
(June 2004)

• Recommendation on the Recognition of Joint
  Degrees
• (subsidiary to the Lisbon Recognition Convention)
• governments should
• review their legislation to remove legal
  obstacles
• introduce legal provisions to facilitate
  recognition

Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
Joint Degrees and Fields of Study
Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
Joint Degrees and Fields of Study
Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
Joint Degrees and Fields of Study

• some examples (country / programme)
• France 200
• Germany 1140 (300 real joint degrees)
• Poland 10 20
• Spain 6 of all programmes

Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
Joint Degree Study New Possibilities and
Chalenges

1. Teaching methods
2. Teaching areas
3. The degree
4. Job placement

Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
A. Teaching Methods
Frontal learning combined with
Distance learning
short study courses lectures of the foreign
teachers intensive laboratory stages participation
in seminars, workshops and conferences co-tutorin
g of final thesis
setting up a web site videoconferences
Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
B. Teaching Areas

• Joint degrees share
• teaching staff
• equipment

Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
C. The Degree
Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
D. Job Placement

• contacts between universities and industrial
  word
• letters of recommendation with list of
  publications of the students and of patents
• organization of short stages in industries
• agreements for professional training contracts
• agreements between partner universities for
  common monitoring of placement of graduates
• organization of workshops for the dissemination
  of results of the project and the promotion
  of the job placement
• contacts with partner universities for possible
  post-doc grants
• curricula of the graduates in the web site of
  the partner universities
•  

Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
Problems and obstacles

• diversity on 
• Legal systems
• - lack of legislation for the joint degrees
• - different legislation on doctoral studies 
• Administrative procedures
• - complexity of bureaucracy in
  order to make the international
  agreements mutually compatible
• Learning structures
• - difficulties in harmonizing
  curricula and modules

Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
Legal Situation and Financial Incentives

• still many of national legislations do not
  allow joint degrees 
• possibility of awarding traditional Double
  Degrees
• Austrian University Act, 2002 legislation
  combined with financial incentives
• grants for student mobility not sufficient

Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005
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MeiCogSci Middle European international master
programme in Cognitive Science
Third Croatian Seminar on BP
Positive aspects

• comparative evaluation of methodologies
• inclusion of young researchers in high level
  international scientific frameworks
• doctoral studies relevant to the labour market
  of several European countries
• creation and adoption of an organization module,
  from the institutional, logistic and
  educational point of view, apable to overcome the
  differences of the individual European
  countries

European Joint Degrees a hallmark of excellence
of the EHEA
Tempus meeting, March 16 - 17, 2005, Zagreb
Dubrovnik, Juny 30 to July 2, 2005